


You're Not Alone, Weiss

by buzzybees



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, BACK ON MY BULLSHIT, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, also rated T for implied physical abuse, but none actually occurs in this story, jacques is a dickhole basically, the bees are adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21581548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzybees/pseuds/buzzybees
Summary: It's time for the Atlas ball, and Jacques Schnee tries one more time to get to Weiss.Ruby isn't having it.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Comments: 17
Kudos: 290





	You're Not Alone, Weiss

**Author's Note:**

> hello, hope you guys are enjoying your day. Im back at it again, and honestly i don't know if spoiler warning is needed since the premise hasn't happened yet (ie. the atlas ball) but just in case i'll just say be careful of previous chapter spoilers my dudes. i started writing this before chapter 5 though, so i don't have any mentions of any events from that chapter. i really hope you enjoy this story, and i hope my hard work shines through here because i really put a lot into this believe it or not sjjsjs it's much longer than originally planned and i can't believe that lmao. i was very dedicated to making this story. remember to leave comments and feedback and everything, i appreciate it :) inspiration for this story came from this post on tumblr https://alie-black-cat.tumblr.com/post/184358177116/protect-the-snow-angel-omfg-i-actually-finished

Ruby shuffled her feet as she sat on the cushioned chair in the Atlas dorms living area. She puffed her cheeks out in boredom, leaning her head onto the back of the chair after taking a glance at the clock. It was time for the Atlas ball, and guests should be arriving in just under an hour. Team JNR already left the dorms, Jaune and Ren in very sleek, nice tuxedos, while Nora actually tried out a dress. Ren was very one note and poker faced, but Ruby could have sworn she saw the hint of smile on his face when Nora looped their arms together. 

Currently, Ruby was sitting in her chair, and the rest of her team was taking _so long_ to get ready. She had been ready an hour ago, having picked a random ensemble when they went out shopping the other day. It was a cute red and black dress that stopped above her knees- quite similar to the one she wore at the Beacon dance. She kept her hair pretty much the same, sticking up and gelled to go with her new style. She didn't care about the high and mighty people of Atlas, the snooty and pretentious people- Ruby just wanted to have a nice night with her friends (and one of them possibly something more?), so really, she didn't mind what she wore.

The sound of footsteps rounding the corner took her out of her thoughts, and her eyes widened and sparkled in excitement at the sight of Yang, who stopped just a few steps away from her. She sprung out of her chair, waving her hands around excitedly.

"You look amazing!" Ruby said, silver eyes filled with happiness. Yang scratched the back of her neck and chuckled, shrugging her shoulders.

"I guess." She replied. She really did look great- Ruby was glad she went with the suit, the yellow dress shirt and black jacket and pants complimented each other, and looked good with her hair. She also wore a cute little bow tie, one that Blake had pointed to while they were out shopping. Ruby remembered her making a joke about Yang wearing it, but it seemed like Yang took it to heart.

"I think you look great, sis!" Ruby said, throwing an arm around her shoulder and poking her stomach. "Very dashing, _suave_. Those Atlesians won't know what hit 'em!"

Yang smirked and put Ruby in a headlock, making a fist with her left hand and rubbing it on her head. "You don't look so bad yourself, little sis."

Ruby whined and struggled in her hold, desperately trying to get her to stop with a few pokes to her stomach. Yang laughed and let her go, Ruby pouting and fixing her hair to the best of her ability, grumbling all the while. Yang straightened out her shirt and jacket, her feet starting to shuffle nervously on the carpet. Ruby glanced at her, before stopping her movements with a gentle hand to her arm. Yang paused, eyes flitting up.

"Blake will like it, too." Ruby said, with a smile she hoped would be comforting. Yang seemed taken aback for a second, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to counter Ruby's statement. Instead, she eventually just closed her mouth, pursing her lips and giving a slight nod before turning her body at the sound of more footsteps about to come around the corner.

Ruby was in awe when Blake rounded the corner, the girl smoothing down her dress a few times as she did so. It was a deep purple and stopped just below her knees, with a slit on her right side that showed off her thigh. Her recently chopped hair had been left in its original state, but more thought put into how it was brushed down. She finished the look with black heels.

There was a sharp intake of breath next to Ruby, and she tried not to let her excitement show _too_ much at the two of them looking at each other, admiring and fawning over each other's looks just with their eyes. She couldn't force her body to stop vibrating though, and she almost resembled Penny at the Amity Arena when was bouncing up and down out of excitement. Ruby cleared her throat, and it seemed to get the ball rolling a little better as Yang snapped out of her trance, a blush on her cheeks.

" _Oh_..." Yang whispered, short and sweet, but summed up her thoughts and feelings quite well. Blake glanced between the two of them, and Ruby gave her a thumbs up, but she was clearly more concerned with Yang's reaction. Her cheeks were flushed red, and her cat ears were pressed to her head as she played with the ends of her hair.

"Is it bad?" Blake said, echoing back to when she asked Yang about her hair. Yang sputtered and waved her hands defensively, eyes wide.

"N-No! You look good- great!- Um, amazing!" Yang was a stuttering mess, and Ruby tried her best to hold her laughter inside. Her sister was such a disaster.

Blake bit her lip, lips quirking up into a tiny smile. "Thanks. You look..." She paused for a moment, allowing her eyes to drift up and down Yang's body, and Ruby suddenly felt like she shouldn't be there. " _Very_ good." Blake said, voice a touch lower than normal. She caught Yang's eyes, and Ruby wasn't entirely sure what kind of conversation was flowing between the two of them through their stares, but she figured it was best if she didn't know.

"You look beautiful, Ruby." Blake gestured towards her, allowing the subject to be changed. Ruby jumped a little, cheeks tinged pink as she posed, hands clasped underneath her chin.

"Thank you! So do you." Ruby replied eagerly, and Blake chuckled at her antics. There was a brief silence between the three of them as Blake shuffled closer to Yang, her arm looping through hers. They glanced at each other shyly, just content to be near one another.

Ruby smiled fondly at them, before looking over to where a certain white haired girl _should_ be coming through soon. Ruby sighed and frowned, crossing her arms.

"What is taking Weiss so long?" She groaned, stomping her foot in annoyance. Blake giggled behind her hand and Yang rolled her eyes at her, with a fondness in her lilac eyes.

"Be patient, Rubes. Ice Queen takes this shit seriously." Yang commented, Blake nodding in agreement. Ruby sighed again and nodded, uncrossing her arms to fiddle with the hem of her dress. There were a few minutes of silence, before they finally heard the approaching footsteps of the one and only Weiss Schnee.

"Gods, look, I'm _sorry_ to keep you all waiting. But you need to understand the time and energy needed for this type of event, and I am _very_ sure that Winter is going to be there and I need to look my best! So I don't want to hear a _word_ about me holding us up. Got it?"

It was a very long stream of words that flowed out of Weiss' mouth in a shrill and authoritative tone the minute she rounded the corner, her arms crossed over her chest and slight annoyance on her features, most likely at herself for being a bit late. She stood there in front of them for a moment, before she finally uncrossed her arms to smooth down her dress.

"Wow, Weiss." Blake was the first to say anything, gathering Weiss' attention. "You look great." Yang nodded in agreement, both of them giving her bright smiles. 

Weiss blinked at the compliment, but it was obvious there was a tinge of pink on her cheeks. She cleared her throat and shrugged, looking down at her state of dress. It was a long gown, stopped just above her ankles so she would be able to show off the high heels she was wearing. It was white and sparkly, with beautiful intricate patterns of snowflakes adorning it. Her hair was in its signature long braid, flowing down her back elegantly. Everything complimented her skin nicely, her striking blue eyes popping out the most.

"Thanks." Weiss mumbled, not entirely sure how to handle the praise. However, she allowed a tiny smile to arise from her.

One person was having trouble saying her piece, though. And having trouble breathing.

All eyes turned to Ruby, whose jaw had hit the floor and her silver eyes shining like the broken moon in the sky- bright and wide at the sight of Weiss in front of her. Blake and Yang snickered to themselves as Ruby fumbled for words, racking her brain to try and remember how to speak the English language. Weiss seemed visibly nervous at Ruby's reaction, and her cheeks deepened to a darker shade of red, her hands fidgeting together.

"I..." Ruby started, mouth opening and closing. She was _beautiful_. So, so beautiful that Ruby felt a whole surge and swirl of emotions in her stomach at the sight of her, the butterflies having a party in there. She knew Weiss was always beautiful- ever since she met her and blew her dust up in her face, she had always seen Weiss as beautiful. But over the years, Weiss had changed- her beauty remained, but there was a deeper level of it now. She was stronger now, so much more than what her parents expected of her. She was her own person now, and that was the most beautiful part about her to Ruby. How she looks tonight just amplified every single one of her feelings to the max.

"Gods, spit it out! We don't have all night!" Weiss snapped, but it wasn't malicious or as near as annoyed as she wanted it to sound. The tremble was enough to show how much Ruby's opinion mattered to her, even if she tried to feign annoyance half the time.

Ruby flinched at her voice, blushing madly as she stared, eyes roaming Weiss' body openly. "I... You... You look so beautiful, Weiss." She almost whispered it, almost said it so gently that it would seem almost intimate. "I mean, y-you're always beautiful! Of course, b-but this is, you look-" She was rambling now, voice squeaky and nervous as the blush on Weiss' cheeks darkened with everything she was saying, her eyes filled with slight surprise. Ruby tried to calm herself down, taking a breath and meeting Weiss' icy blues. She smiled from ear to ear. "You look amazing."

Finally, _finally_ , Ruby got all her words out. 

Blake and Yang looked between the two of them, then at each other, a silent conversation happening with their eyes again. They smirked at each other, before Yang reached out and slapped Ruby on the back, the action making her yelp and stumble towards Weiss, their bodies much closer to each other. Her eyes widened, but when she turned to yell at her _stupid, stupid,_ sister, she and Blake were already escaping towards the door of the dormitories. 

"We'll meet you guys out here!" Yang yelled back, and with those parting words, Ruby watched as they opened the door and left.

The quiet was stifling between the two of them, Ruby's eyes averted to look at anything _but_ Weiss' beautiful face in front of her. She heard Weiss clear her throat, before a tentative hand reached for her arm, laying on it gently. Ruby's eyes were drawn to her hand, before she moved her gaze to Weiss' face. To her beautiful blue eyes, that were looking at her with a very uncommon, usually unseen softness. 

"I just wanted you to know." Weiss began, and Ruby was immediately hooked onto every single word, every gentle syllable that flowed out of her pink lips. "That you also look beautiful, Ruby."

Her previous blush returned, creeping up her neck to the tips of her ears. It was so different when Weiss said it- especially when she looked at her like _that_ , and said it in _that_ way. Weiss was usually not one to admit her feelings, usually closed off and cold. But she's definitely remedied that over the years, and although she hasn't ditched her heiress-type ways completely, Ruby recognised how hard she was trying. She considered the team her family, and Ruby knew that she held all of them in her heart fondly. 

She hoped that she was in first place, though.

Ruby smiled with an air of awkwardness. "Thank you." She responded. "Wanna go meet the others now?"

Weiss lifted the corners of her lips back at her, and after a nod of confirmation from her, Ruby turned her body to walk towards the door. A hand on her arm stopped her though, and she turned back to look at Weiss, eyebrows furrowed. Weiss fidgeted a little, before she huffed and rolled her eyes with a mix of fondness and annoyance.

"Escort me, you dolt." Weiss said, her arm looping through Ruby's while her other hand came to rest around Ruby's wrist. Ruby's heart drummed on, a flurry of thoughts coming at her way too fast. She didn't have enough time to dwell on it, because Weiss was all but dragging her towards the door.

They eventually met up with Blake and Yang, who were talking _very_ close to one another, with Blake leaning on the wall and playing with Yang's bowtie absentmindedly. Yang was saying something to her, voice low and gravelly as she took a step closer to her. Ruby heard Weiss sigh next to her, like she expected this type of thing to be happening, and she cleared her throat so loud that it echoed throughout the big hallway.

Yang jumped fifty feet away from Blake, who giggled softly. Her cat ears twitched as Ruby and Weiss approached, the faunus pulling Yang back to her side in a matter of seconds, linking their arms together. Yang was uncharacteristically quiet due to embarrassment, and Ruby's laughter bubbled inside of her. 

"We have a ball to get to." Weiss said matter-of-factly, and Yang rubbed her neck, like she does when she's nervous. Ruby noticed Blake glance to their arms, how they were linked together, how their sides would occasionally brush each other when they moved. She deliberately looked away when Blake looked up to meet her eyes.

Weiss took charge when no one moved, startling Ruby as her determined and sure steps guided the rest of them down the hallway.

The ball was being held at the academy, in one of the rooms that none of them had seen before. Winter had been helpful, as well as Penny, with showing them where to go beforehand. They only knew the route, but they didn't see the room just yet, because all four of them had agreed to wait and see what it was like all decorated. The four of them walked along the halls of the academy, eventually coming to the juncture that went in four directions, two of which were General Ironwood's war room and the dorms, where they had just come from. The direction to their left was one they didn't know about, but straight ahead was a long corridor adorned with large statues of warriors and banners with the Atlas symbol on them, leading straight to the room that was holding the ball.

Blake and Yang walked ahead, the two talking animatedly about something. Well, Yang was talking, but Blake seemed more than happy to listen to her if the smile on her lips was anything to go by. Ruby wasn't sure what they were saying, but she wasn't entirely focused on them to begin with. Weiss had maintained the contact between them, her grip seemingly tighter than before the closer they got to the large, ornate double doors at the end of the hallway that led to the ballroom. Ruby glanced at her, the ex-heiress' eyes glued to the doors, her scarred eye twitching the tiniest bit.

Ruby frowned, reaching a hand up to place it on Weiss' shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked. 

Weiss jumped at the contact, pulling her eyes away from the doors to look at Ruby. Her steps had slowed down some, and Ruby manoeuvred them to stand on the sidelines, close to a statue of an ancient looking Atlesian warrior. Ruby tilted her head like a puppy, drifting her hand down to take Weiss' in a sign of comfort. Weiss allowed it, the tension in her shoulders evaporating in mere seconds. 

"Yeah... Yeah, I just..." Weiss said, unconsciously squeezing Ruby's hand in her own. Ruby looked at her in concern as she continued. "I've been looking forward to this since we landed in Atlas. I know we have more pressing things to focus on, like the missions and Salem..." Weiss trailed off, and Ruby wanted so badly to reach out and smooth down the crease in her brow, reach out and hug her so she didn't sound so guilty. Ruby understood that they had other issues to focus on, but she couldn't blame Weiss for wanting time to _breathe_.

"But I don't know. I just thought this would be nice... But now I have a bad feeling. That something might happen." Weiss said, voice tinged with nervousness.

  
Ruby pursed her lips and glanced ahead of them. Blake and Yang had stopped at the doors and looked back at the pair, but they must have been able to read the room, because they continued to talk to each other rather than intrude on their moment. Ruby returned her eyes to Weiss, letting out a sigh as she stepped closer. Weiss blinked at their close proximity, almost forgetting what their conversation had been about as Ruby placed both hands on her shoulders, her thumbs caressing her skin through the fabric of her gown. Weiss, desperately, suppressed the shudder that ran through her body.

"Don't worry." Ruby said, her voice being carried to Weiss' ears, like a gentle breeze through the trees. "If anything does happen, which I _really_ hope it doesn't because that would _really_ suck and would be like the Beacon dance all over again." Ruby whined, Weiss cracking a discreet grin in response, "But,Team RWBY will be with you." She paused for a second, swallowing the thick bundle of nerves that had gathered in her throat at the intensity of Weiss' stare. " _'I'll_ be with you."

Weiss remained slightly rigid, jaw clenched and lips in a hard line now. Ruby stayed still, but trailed her hands all the way down Weiss' arms, missing the shiver that travelled through Weiss' body. She grasped Weiss' hands gently, throwing out a blinding, signature Ruby Rose smile in hopes that it would lift her mood at all.

There was a beat, and then Weiss expelled a deep breath from her lungs, before she nodded and smiled softly back at her. The gentle, fond smile that was only reserved for Ruby- her partner, her best friend. Her... crush?

The word seemed too tame for whatever her feelings were for her, and she honestly had no clue if Ruby felt the same, or if this would even go anywhere in the future. Regardless of what happened, she knew she would have Ruby by her side for as long as she would live. Just like Ruby would have her.

"You guys coming?"

Yang's booming voice echoed around them, breaking both of them out of the staring contest that had taken to doing. Their cheeks lit up in blushes, Ruby quickly stepping away from her. The warmth left her hands, and Ruby tried not to pout too much. 

They soon caught up with Blake and Yang again, and they all sent each other encouraging looks, before finally opening the doors into the ballroom.

"Holy _shit_."

"Yang!" Weiss hissed disapprovingly, and Yang just ignored her as her lilac eyes widened. To be fair, if Yang didn't say it, Ruby or Blake would have, because _wow_.

The room was beyond huge, fitting as many people as possible it seemed like. Along the right side of the room, a long, _long_ table stretched, topped with plenty of food and drinks for everyone. Servers travelled around the room, squeezing through throngs of people with trays. Some had different types of foods on them, little pieces as samplers, and others had glasses of wine and champagne on top, offering them to the various guests. Two large chandeliers swayed above them, lighting up the room beautifully, accentuating the colours of whites and blues as the decor. Atlas banners were hung up, as expected, and the marble floor looked too clean and pristine for anyone to be standing on, let alone _dancing_ on.

"This is incredible." Blake piped up, her voice in awe and cat ears standing at attention, her eyes surveying the room.

"Look at all the _food!_ " Ruby squealed, silver eyes focused on the long table. She gasped and grabbed Weiss' shoulders, shaking her a little, effectively annoying the ex-heiress. "They. Have. _Mini sandwiches!"_ Yang gasped next to her at that, the sisters' eyes widening as they looked at said mini sandwiches laid out on the table, several platters of them in fact. Ruby felt her mouth watering at the sight, and Weiss groaned and shook her off of her shoulders, rolling her eyes. Blake giggled at their antics.

"You guys really don't know about proper etiquette, do you?" Weiss deadpanned. Ruby beamed at her, waving her statement away.

"Etiquette-schmetiquette." Ruby joked, ignoring Weiss' grumble of "that's not a word." to gaze back at the large crowd of people. Her eyes landed on Team JNR, who were loitering around the left side of the room. Nora was stuck to Ren like a leech, possibly attempting to convince him to dance with her. Jaune just surveyed the room, a glass in his hand. Ruby smiled a little, also noticing her uncle Qrow close by to them. Ruby was pleasantly surprised to see he had no glass in his hand, both of his shoved in his pockets as he stood with Clover, who rattled off to him about something. Ruby would have thought the Ace-Ops were on duty that night, but it looked like Clover was able to get the night off to come. 

"This _is_ really awesome though." Ruby said. Yang and Blake hummed their agreements next to her.

"It is." Weiss agreed. "I may despise certain aspects of Atlas, and the culture here, but the ball has always been something to look forward to. You can never be blind to beauty." Weiss looked at Ruby as she that, and Ruby must have been dreaming when Weiss' eyes roamed her face, dipped lower to look at her lips. It must have been a mistake, because when Ruby blinked for a fraction of a second, Weiss was looking ahead at the room again.

"Well, let's dance!" Yang exclaimed, smile wide as she took Blake's hand, the pair descending the set of stairs and going through the sea of people to find a spot to dance. Ruby watched them, Yang looking nervous as Blake pressed close to her, guiding her one hand to rest on her hip as she clasped their other hands together.

Ruby giggled at Yang, who stumbled at the start, but quickly got the hang of it.

She then realised who she was standing next, and what the implications were that it was just the two of them now, at a ball, where you danced with people.

Was Weiss going to ask her to dance? What if she _didn't_? Would that be better or worse? Does she _want_ to dance with her? She can't dance! Maybe she should just retreat to the food table before-

"Hello? Ruby?" Weiss' annoyed tone reached her ears, her hand waving in front of Ruby's face to shake her out of her thoughts. Ruby blinked and looked at her, a sheepish look on her face.

"Did you say something?" Ruby squeaked. Weiss narrowed her eyes, and Ruby _felt_ the icicles shooting into her heart.

"Well, _dolt_ , if you were listening, you would know I asked you a question." Weiss huffed, and Ruby's cheeks were dusted with red. "I asked... If you wanted to accompany me onto the dance floor." Weiss' voice turned soft and low, and Ruby had to lean in a bit further to catch what she said. "So we can dance. Together." She finished, averting her eyes from Ruby's staring.

Ruby couldn't believe her ears- Weiss actually wanted to dance with her?

"Really?" Ruby replied, not even trying to disguise the shock in her voice and expression. Weiss groaned and clamped a hand down onto Ruby's wrist, pulling her down onto the floor, into the mass of people.

A pool of anxiety settled into Ruby's stomach when they stopped moving- were they in the middle of _everyone?_ \- Weiss turning towards her and dropping her wrist from her grip.

"Who else would I dance with?" Weiss questioned. "I don't like anyone else here except team JNR, and they seem a little too busy fraternising in the corner of the room."

A wave of disappoint washed over Ruby. Of course, Weiss wanted to dance- so she was her default partner, the only other person available to her. She should have known it wasn't anything more than that.

Ruby looked down at her combat boots- Weiss had scolded her earlier when she said she was going to wear them, but that didn't stop her. She felt most comfortable in them, and she didn't care about the people that had stared at her when they walked in. As long as she, herself, had fun and wasn't killing her heels and ankles in the process, then she was happy.

Ruby felt two fingers tap her chin, and she allowed Weiss to raise her head so their eyes met. An apology swirled in Weiss' eyes, but it wasn't for what Ruby thought.

"I'm sorry, I didn't..." Weiss bit her lip, shaking her head slightly. "I didn't mean it like that."

Ruby felt a twinge of hope inside of her, and her heart thumped against her rib cage when Weiss stepped into her space, her one hand resting on Ruby's shoulder. Ruby gulped, keeping her hands still and tense at her sides, not entirely sure what to do. Weiss rolled her eyes, quickly grabbing Ruby's hand and placing it on her hip, returning her own hand to her shoulder and clasping their other hands together. Ruby squeaked, face flushed.

"Ruby, you need to loosen up." Weiss said.

Ruby scoffed playfully, still nervously tense.

"Weiss Schnee telling _me_ to loosen up? Am I in an alternate dimension?" She joked, and Weiss looked at her unamused as she gripped Ruby's shoulder, pulling her a bit closer to her. That shut Ruby up effectively, her eyes wide at the proximity. 

"I want to dance with you. Just relax and follow my lead, okay?" Weiss said, and Ruby didn't have time to process that she said she _wanted_ to dance with her, because seconds later Weiss began moving.

Ruby was... _atrocious_.

Within minutes of them beginning to dance, she had stepped on Weiss' feet three times. Weiss hissed through the pain, cataloguing this moment for later when she tells Ruby she's never wearing her combat boots to a ball, _ever again_. Ruby always had a flurry of apologies flowing out of her mouth each time it happened, and Weiss could tell she really was trying. 

Eventually, after several more stumbles and one almost fall on Ruby's part, she started relaxing a bit more. She allowed Weiss to lead her, her eyes trained in concentration on her feet so she didn't step on Weiss anymore. Through the third song that was playing, Ruby was finally getting it. She looked up with happiness in her eyes, a bright smile on her face that almost blinded Weiss. 

"Weiss, I'm doing it!" Ruby all but screeched, but it was one of the cutest things that Weiss had ever heard.

Weiss smiled at her, squeezing her shoulder.

"You're doing it." She replied.

It startled Weiss how intense Ruby was staring at her throughout the rest of their dance. Once she understood the moves, and how _not_ to step on Weiss and piss her off, she kept her eyes on her face, a soft look in them. Weiss felt uncomfortable at first, not sure what to make of it, but over time, she welcomed her gaze. It was intense, and Weiss sometimes found it difficult to fight the urge to look away out of nervousness, but she welcomed it nonetheless.

Weiss just liked that Ruby's attention was all on her.

They had shifted closer to each other as they danced, and Weiss only just realised _how_ close. Ruby's hand had shifted from her hip, and was instead replaced with her whole arm, wrapped around Weiss' body, while Weiss had moved her hand to rest her arm around the back of Ruby's neck. Their chests occasionally brushed, and Weiss sucked in a breath, a whimper catching in her throat when they brushed for the fourth time.

Ruby bit her lip, only having eyes for her, their breaths mixing together. It was as if they were in some sort of trance, a dream-like state that didn't seem like real life to either of them. Their lips were inches apart at this point, and Ruby's tongue darted out of her mouth to lick her lips, not missing how Weiss' eyes followed the movement like a hawk. It gave her a shimmer of hope- hope that she wasn't going crazy, that there was _something_ here, and there always had been.

She gulped down her fears, and started to lean in- wanting to take the plunge, wanting to dive deep into the icy, blue waters of Weiss Schnee.

"Weiss?"

They froze immediately, Weiss' eyes widening at the voice right next to them. They stayed that way for a moment, their chests heaving from not just the dancing.

Weiss blinked, coming back down to Remnant, to _reality_ , as she realised who called her name. She immediately broke away from Ruby, pale cheeks glowing a pretty shade of red. Ruby instantly missed the warmth she provided, but the action also helped her break out of the stupor she was in. 

"Winter!" Weiss squeaked, a weird sound coming from her. Ruby's fingers immediately found the hem of her dress, playing with it as she turned her body to face Winter Schnee, who stood there in her usual attire, which seemed to greatly confuse Weiss. "Winter, you didn't dress up?" She said, eyebrows furrowed.

Winter looked down at her uniform, then nodded once at Weiss. "I'm technically on duty tonight. Ironwood's orders." She said, hands behind her back in a professional manner. Weiss frowned, but Winter finally sent her a gentle smile. "But I'm glad you found the time to dress nicely. You look lovely." She commented, and Weiss perked up at once, the smile on her face one of relief and pride. After an awkward and painstakingly long time for Ruby, who stood next to Weiss rigid and unmoving, Winter moved her eyes to look at her.

"Hello, Ruby Rose." Winter said, voice strong and unwavering. Ruby jumped at the sudden noise, looking at Winter.

"H-hi, uh..." Ruby rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, glancing between Weiss and her sister. Winter seemed to take pity on her, and she reached a hand out towards her. Ruby looked down at it, before a subtle nudge from Weiss made her shoot her hand out, grasping Winter's in a strong handshake.

"Just call me Winter." Winter stated, shaking Ruby's hand and then letting go, resuming her previous pose. Ruby's hand dangled limply for a moment, before she returned it to her side quickly, ignoring the heat on her cheeks.

"O-Of course! You, uh, you look very nice, Winter." Ruby stuttered, throwing up some finger guns towards the older Schnee, an awkward smile on her face. Weiss pressed a hand to her forehead, shaking her head and increasing Ruby's embarrassment tenfold. Winter didn't seem bothered, though, and instead the corner of her lip lifted in the faintest of smirks.

"Thank you. You look lovely as well, Ruby Rose." Winter said, and Ruby just nodded her head. Winter looked between the two flustered girls in front of her, Weiss pointedly avoiding her eyes whenever she looked at her. She seemed to decide that she had enough torturing them both, and reached out to pull Weiss into a hug. Weiss was startled, but quickly recovered to hug her sister back. Winter hummed, pulled away and looked at Ruby one last time.

"I hope you two enjoy the rest of your night. Thank you, Ruby Rose, once again." Winter said, and Ruby looked at her in confusion. Winter's smirk grew, and just as she turned to walk away, she said: "Once again, thank you for taking an _interest_ in my sister."

And then she was gone, weaving through the people towards the double doors of the ballroom.

Ruby flushed, opening and closing her mouth. She looked at Weiss, who seemed just as flustered and embarrassed as her, before she looked away and ran a hand through her hair, thinking on what to say and where to go from there.

"Do you-"

"I'm going-"

They spoke at the same time, their eyes meeting as their words jumbled together. Ruby laughed awkwardly, gesturing for Weiss to go first. Weiss cleared her throat, motioning towards the doors.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom." Weiss said, and Ruby had to stifle the sad whimper that wanted to escape her throat. She didn't want Weiss to go, even if it was just to the bathroom. But she couldn't exactly force her to hold her bladder, so Ruby allowed just a pout to form on her lips as she nodded.

"Okay. But hurry back! I'm a natural dancer now!" Ruby said, striking a ridiculous pose as if she were a ballet dancer. She perked up at the sight of Weiss' exasperated smile on her face. Weiss hummed in response, before she turned to walk away, her hand brushing Ruby's for a brief second. Ruby watched her go, her slim figure easily squeezing through bodies as she ascended the steps. Ruby kept her gaze on her all the while, feeling somewhat shameful when her eyes lowered more than they needed to. Once Weiss had opened the door and exited, Ruby tore her eyes away and made her way towards the food table.

"How you doin', little sis?" Yang said to her once she approached the table. Blake was a bit down the table, her ears twitching at every single odd piece of food she could find. Yang was standing at the portion of the table that had the mini sandwiches, as expected, and Ruby deduced that half of one of the plates was gone because of her.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be fine? How are _you_ doing? I'm just hungry, that's all." Ruby spewed out whatever came to her mind, everything that had just transpired was a lot to take in. She avoided Yang's gaze, choosing instead to stare very heavily at a platter of cheeses. Yang raised an eyebrow, finishing off probably her tenth mini sandwich before washing it down with some champagne. She placed the glass back down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Whoa, chill out." Yang drawled, the champagne possibly taking part in that. Blake eventually sidled up to them, a happy smile on her face as she nibbled on a mini tuna sandwich.

"Atlas isn't so bad after all." Blake said. Yang snorted and wrapped her arm around Blake's waist, before looking back at Ruby. Blake chewed on her sandwich, gazing at Ruby in concern.

"You okay?" Blake asked, and Ruby could tell she was much more sober than Yang was. Her tone was gentle, and Ruby sighed as she turned towards them both, glancing at the double doors before looking at lilac and amber eyes.

"I-I think... Winter just said I was interested in Weiss?" Ruby said in disbelief, still wrapping her mind around that interaction. "A-And Weiss and I almost... And why does Winter always call me by my full name? Ruby is fine! Just call me Ruby!" She rambled on, too many emotions flowing in and out of her to keep track of and she just had so many questions. She stared at the other two, gauging their reactions. There was a pause, before Yang started shaking with laughter and Blake smiled fondly, a giggle escaping her mouth behind her hand.

"You got it bad, sis!" Yang yelled, probably a bit too loudly based on the reactions of a few patrons nearby, but she was too tipsy to care. Blake nodded in agreement, but her smile became somewhat sympathetic when Ruby began sputtering, eyes shooting between them both.

"I-I..." Ruby groaned, crossing her arms. "It's that obvious?" She pouted solemnly.

"To everyone, except Weiss." Blake mused, her hand reaching up to caress the back of Yang's neck, the golden haired girl almost purring as a result. Ruby fought the urge to say "ew", and instead shook her head and chewed on her lip. Considering what happened on the dance floor, it gave her more than a spark of hope that there was something between them. She prayed that Weiss felt the same, but she could never be sure. And Weiss seemed just as oblivious and confused as her, according to Blake.

"You just gotta chill, Rubes." Yang said, making a wave motion with her hand. "Relax and go with the flow."

Ruby was now even more confused, eyebrows knitting together. Blake raised an eyebrow at the golden girl next to her, before she grabbed Yang's hand and pulled it down in between their bodies, stopping her movements.

"Okay, enough champagne for you." Blake said, amused glint in her eyes as Yang pouted. She shook her head and sighed, Yang recovering seconds later with a questioning glance at Ruby.

"Speaking of Weiss, where she at?" Yang said, her eyes searching the crowd. Ruby grabbed a mini sandwich with some sort of meat on it- which was very tasty- and gestured towards the exit.

"Bathroom." She said, finishing her sandwich in seconds. Yang nodded, and then stood at attention when Blake gripped her hand, _tight_.

"Blake?" She said, tipsiness almost vanishing and being replaced with concern. Blake's cat ears were on high alert, turned outwards as if there was a threat. Ruby gripped at her dress, eyes searching Blake's.

"Blake? What is it? What's wrong?" Ruby asked, dread enveloping her in a hug as Blake's ears became down trodden, pressing against her head. She looked at Ruby, then at Yang, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"I just overheard someone talking... I don't know who it was, but..." Blake gripped Yang's hand tighter. "Weiss' father is here."

Ruby didn't even allow Blake to finish talking before she was bolting out of the room, Yang shouting after her, telling her to wait, telling her to calm down.

Like hell she would calm down when Jacques fucking Schnee was here.

Ruby barrelled through the doors, and she was halfway down the long corridor when she realised something.

How do you even find a bathroom in this place?

She skidded to a stop at the juncture with the four directions, looking at the three she hadn't come down. She gulped, fear lodging in her throat. She had to find Weiss, and she needed to do it now. She wasn't going to let her father take her, and even if Weiss refused him, even if she was able to know his manipulative tactics, Ruby had a feeling he wouldn't have any qualms about being physical.

Ruby clutched her dress, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat. She had to think- To her left was General Ironwood, so Weiss wouldn't have gone there. Then there's the dorms, which have bathrooms, but Weiss probably wouldn't go _that_ far just to relieve herself.

She heard a _thump_ in the distance, and the sound of yelling. She shot her eyes over to the last hallway, the one to her right. She didn't hesitate and immediately sprinted down the hallway, the yelling increasing in volume as she neared the first turn. She stopped, looking down the hallway that branches off to her right. She saw nothing there, so she continued down straight.

There was a crash, and she felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach as she ran. She reached the end of the hallway, the only ways to go being right or left. She looked between the directions, panic settling in her heart. Should she do eeny meeny miny mo?

"I'm not going back with you!"

Ruby whipped her head to her right, the familiar voice reaching her ears. There was one lone door down the right hall, at the end on the left side. It looked slightly ajar, and Ruby instantly knew.

She took a couple steps, then burst into a fury of rose pedals, activating her semblance. She heard a gasp as she boomed through the door, materialising between the two figures in the room. She didn't have Crescent Rose this time, so she only relied on her cold, silver eyes to be intimidating in this instance. 

Jacques stood there, towering over both girls and one hand raised in a threatening stance, and Ruby felt a rush of anger and disgust as she realised just _what_ he was planning on doing with that hand.

"R-Ruby? Wh-" Weiss started, her eyes looking at the back of Ruby's head as she stood in front of her, shielding her from the disgruntled and impatient man looming over them.

"It's okay, Weiss. I'm here." Ruby replied, a hardened glare set on the man as he lowered his hand back to his side, his own set of icy blues moving from Weiss to Ruby with a glare.

"And who is this _brat_?" Jacques spits, looking at Ruby with distaste as he straightens his back, one hand coming to play with the buttons on his cuff. It was tense- the atmosphere radiating the weight of the situation. Ruby clenched her jaw, standing her ground.

"I'm here for Weiss." Ruby almost _growled_ , and Weiss couldn't reel in the shock in her eyes at her tone- Ruby has never sounded like that before.

Jacques merely raised an eyebrow in amusement, a smirk dancing on his lips at the pair. He narrowed his eyes at Ruby.

"Come to fight her battles once again?" Jacques sneers, seemingly finally recognising his daughter's teammate from the other day. She made a move to step forward, her anger ready to be unleashed, but she felt something soft in her hand, something holding her back. She blinked and looked down, Weiss' hand holding hers. Ruby looked up, Weiss stepping forward to stand beside Ruby, rather than behind her. Her eyes were hard, stone-cold as she looked at her father.

"She's not fighting my battles for me." Weiss snapped, squeezing Ruby's hand on instinct- protectively. "She's fighting them _with me_."

Jacques lowered his hand from his cuff, keeping his hands to his sides as he looked between the two girls. Ruby felt a surge of pride inside of her at Weiss' words, and she looked at Jacques.

"She's not going with you." Ruby said. "Not now, not ever. She doesn't need you, so give up now, before we have to do something we'll _all_ regret." Her voice was low and made of steel, and she could see the man's resolve weakening, could see how he was losing control.

He scoffed, though, and raised his hands in a mock surrender, before gesturing to the room around them.

"You'll _all_ regret? Who is all?" Jacques said. Ruby and Weiss glanced at each other, before smirking and waiting a beat.

" _Us_ , you asshole." 

Yang shoved open the door behind them, Blake in tow as well. Both girls stood on either side of Ruby and Weiss- Blake on Weiss' side, Yang on Ruby's. Yang's eyes were outlined with red, a slight tint as her anger was starting to flare up. Blake's cat ears were pulled back, her lips in a hard line and eyes narrowed in anger. Jacques took a step back, all four girls glaring at the man with no sympathy, no mercy whatsoever. They wouldn't want to hurt him, of course, but if that's what it took to save Weiss from this man- this empty shell of a person, then they would do it.

Jacques clenched his jaw, before he ran his hands down the length of his suit jacket, clearing his throat. His face turned stoic as he locked his hands behind his back, his anger bubbling beneath the surface. He held up the act, nodding once at the girls.

"I see you have made your choice." He said towards Weiss. "I will not extend my services any longer. You will not see Whitley, or Klein, or your mother. You will _not_ visit the manor once I have left here. I am done with you." His was voice empty, soulless- like the man behind them. He had no care in the world, and he never truly cared about her, anyway. Weiss' heart cracked, the pain of not seeing Klein again, and leaving her mother there, all alone, and even Whitley- her little brother, stuck in that place with _him-_ weighing heavily on her. But when Ruby squeezed her hand, when Blake brushed her other and Yang gave her a determined look, Weiss knew that they would help her. They're there for her, and she can count on them.

Weiss took a deep breath, before meeting her father's gaze for the last time.

"No, father." Weiss growled. " _I_ am done with _you_." 

Silence.

It was deafening, as Weiss' sharp words floated in the air around them. Jacques stood there, eyes cold and empty as he studied her, then proceeded to study the people around her. Ruby had tightened her hold on Weiss' hand, interlocked their fingers as Yang and Blake still flanked them both. His mouth settled into a harsher line when his gaze caught Ruby's hand, stuck to his daughter's like glue. 

Eventually, after what seemed like hours of silence and deathly looks, Jacques moved. Wordlessly, and without a second glance at any of them, he brushed past the girls. Nobody turned their heads, no one gave him the satisfaction of another look. Instead, once they heard his footsteps exit the room, the door clicking behind them, and then his steps growing in distance, they finally moved.

Weiss deflated immediately, the adrenaline from the entire situation leaving her in an instant, and Ruby had to reach out to steady her as she swayed in place. She felt slightly faint, and Blake and Yang looked on in concern, Blake placing a hand on Weiss' arm for support, and Yang moving to stand in front of her, looking into her eyes.

"Weiss..." Ruby pleaded quietly. Weiss had her eyes closed, her breaths short and choppy as she tried desperately to calm down from the events that just transpired. Ruby looked at Yang, then at Blake, desperation in her eyes. Blake's cat ears flattened on her head, and Yang stepped a tiny bit closer, touching Weiss' shoulder.

"You're okay, Princess. We're here, he's gone." Yang said gently, squeezing her shoulder. The nickname hadn't been said in a long time, and it felt foreign to hear it from Yang after all this time. At first, when Yang said it, it was meant to be mocking- meant to be a joke. But now, after Weiss had stood up to her father and showed her strength, Yang saying it could bring it new meaning. A princess- or a queen?- of strength, of confidence.

After a long moment, Weiss cracked her eyes open as she took one final deep breath. Her muscles started to relax, the tension flowing out like a river. She looked at each of her teammates- Blake, with a comforting smile on her face, her eyes full of empathy and understanding. Yang- strong and resilient, always there as a shoulder to cry on, holding people up. And Ruby...

Weiss choked on air when her eyes landed on Ruby, whose eyes held unshed tears. She swallowed thickly, trying her best to muster up a smile at all three of them.

"That was probably the scariest moment of my life." Weiss finally uttered after minutes of silence. No one replied straight away, so Weiss took that as her cue to continue. "I-I was alone... I didn't think he'd try this again. I should have expected it." Malice took over her previously gentle tone for a moment, but then it was washed away. "Thank you, all of you... I don't know what I would do without you."

Ruby's eyes watered, a series of emotions and images playing in her mind. The very thought of losing Weiss to that man, or losing Weiss _at all_ , was something she couldn't imagine or bear. It was horrible, a thought she didn't want to entertain anymore. After losing Weiss to him before, almost losing her at Haven, and almost losing her again, now...

A lone tear travelled down Ruby's cheek, her sniffle catching the attention of the rest of her team. Weiss' mouth opened in a silent gasp, and she quickly turned to grasp Ruby's hands in her own.

"Ruby?" Weiss said. 

Yang started to move forward, but Blake stopped her with a hand to her shoulder. Yang looked at her quizzically, but at the nod that Blake did towards the other two, Yang seemed to understand- they should be alone.

Without a word, Yang squeezed both Ruby and Weiss' shoulders, before following Blake out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Weiss lifted a hand to Ruby's cheek, startling her. She felt her thumb press against her skin, warm and soft as she swiped her tear away. Ruby sniffled and lifted her head, trying her best to swallow down the rest of her tears.

"W-Weiss..." Ruby's voice sounded clogged- it was hard to speak and her chest was burning from holding in her cries. Weiss immediately pulled her into her arms, wrapping them tightly around her body. Ruby clutched at Weiss' dress in response, knuckles turning white as more tears flowed out of her eyes. Weiss bit her lip, taking a shaky breath as she allowed Ruby to cry into her chest, her fingers running through her soft hair. Ruby cried and cried- so much so that Weiss could feel every shake, every quiver in her body- could feel how drenched the front part of her dress had become. But she didn't care at that point- all she cared about was Ruby, and being there for her like she always was for her.

Eventually, after several minutes, Weiss felt Ruby's shaking subside, her cries turning into small sniffles, and eventually just short, quick breaths in order to calm herself down. Weiss tickled her fingers along Ruby's back, in an up and down motion, as softly as she could. Ruby squirmed a little at the sensation, before she decided to finally lift her head.

She pulled away from Weiss, wiping her eyes and nose with the sleeves of her dress. It wasn't attractive _at all_ , and she probably looked a complete mess, but she could care less at that point. Weiss was there, she was with them still, and that's all that mattered to her.

She felt soft pressure on her arm, pulling her attention back to the present as she met Weiss' eyes. There was so much concern in them, so much guilt and sadness that Ruby immediately shook her head at her, flashing a small smile.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry..." Ruby's voice was scratchy, and she cleared her throat in attempts to remedy that. "I probably look like a clown, now."

Weiss raised a perfectly thin eyebrow at the comparison, a humorous chuckle flying out of her mouth without her consent. She shook her head.

"You may act like one." Weiss replied, and before Ruby could open her mouth to protest, _gee thanks Weiss,_ Weiss smiled broadly and rolled her eyes at the same time. "But, your... specific facial features do not resemble one."

It was Weiss' weird form of a compliment, and Ruby could sort of see what she was saying, but this was _Ruby_ , so she tilted her head like a puppy in slight confusion, hoping for some clarification. Weiss huffed, a light tint of pink dusting her cheeks as she averted her eyes.

"I'm saying... Your face doesn't resemble a clown, or anything from a circus for that matter," Weiss danced around her actual point for a moment, before sighing and glancing at Ruby. "Because you're beautiful, and I would never see you as that."

Ruby's eyes flashed with surprise, a blush lighting up her face. 

Weiss covered her face with her hands, shaking her head in disbelief at herself and her actions. "Gods, this is ridiculous."

Slowly but surely, a grin formed its way onto Ruby's lips, and she let out an adorable, child-like giggle. It caught Weiss' attention, causing her to pull her hands away and look at Ruby with narrowed eyes. Ruby giggled a bit more, before throwing herself at Weiss, their bodies slamming together violently. Weiss gasped and stumbled slightly.

"Ruby Rose!" She shrieked, groaning when Ruby squeezed her arms tight around her in a big, bear hug.

"Aw, come on, Weiss! You know you love it!" Ruby said cheerily, humming in content when Weiss' hands found purchase on her hips. "You're beautiful too, by the way!"

Weiss rolled her eyes, but hummed affectionately and moved her hands somewhat, curling her arms around Ruby's waist. Ruby nuzzled her face into Weiss' neck, her scent filling her nose and almost intoxicating her. She held onto Weiss some more, and Weiss eventually spoke again, turning the conversation into a more serious one.

"Why were you crying, Ruby?" Weiss asked. There was no judgement or annoyance at all- just comfort, and a gentleness that she usually only allowed Ruby to see. Ruby hesitated, thinking deeply on how she should respond to her.

"I..." Ruby started, before sighing and pulling away from Weiss. She felt better looking at her eyes- it felt like they were connected more that way. "I was crying... Because I didn't want him to take you away." She saw Weiss about to say something, but she stopped her with a press to her shoulder. "I-I knew you would say no to him... You're super strong, Super Woman Weiss!" Ruby beamed, and Weiss returned the smile, but it was more subdued than hers. "I knew that, but he could have done something... Worse to you. I started thinking about... When he took you after Beacon fell, a-and when Cinder..." Ruby trailed off, the memory still too fresh in her mind, even though it had been a while since it happened. Ruby would never forget it, and those wounds would never fully heal for her. The fact that Weiss was still here though, right now, with her- it helped her get through it.

Weiss' jaw clenched at the memory, her hand instinctively touching the scar on her side, over her gown. Ruby looked down at the movement, before placing her hand over Weiss'.

"I was afraid he would take you again, and I already lost you before." Ruby whispered, eyes trained on their hands on Weiss' side. "I'm going to keep my promise. You aren't alone, Weiss. You won't ever be alone again."

Weiss' lips parted with a shaky breath, her eyes searching Ruby's face. Her eyes were still looking at their hands, so Weiss used her other hand to cup Ruby's jaw. She moved her head slightly, their eyes meeting in a dance of affection. Weiss absentmindedly grazed Ruby's jaw with her thumb, and Ruby leaned into the soft touch on instinct. They gazed at one another, before Weiss broke the silence.

"I know I won't." Weiss said, small smile on her face. "Neither will you."

They smiled at each other for another long moment, just content to be in each other's space- not that Weiss would want to admit that out loud. Ruby felt the little drummer boy in her heart pounding away as she looked at her. A pile of nerves settled in her stomach and she bit her lip, doing the bold action of dipping her eyes lower, glancing at Weiss' lips.

"Hey, Weiss?"

"Hm?"

Ruby chewed on her bottom lip, looking back to Weiss' beautiful blue eyes. She pressed her hand to her cheek, her thumb gently grazing the scar below her eye. Weiss felt a tingle shoot up her spine at the contact, Ruby's touch leaving a pleasant warmth in her stomach, and on her cheek. Ruby's expelled a shuddering breath, before she took a step closer to Weiss. Weiss blinked, eyes flitting between both of Ruby's silver orbs.

"I think..." Ruby breathed. "I'd _really_ like to kiss you."

Weiss' heart stopped completely in her chest. Her ears were ringing- did Ruby really just say that? Her eyes widened when Ruby leaned it a little more, her lips inching closer. Weiss gulped and licked her lips, Ruby's eyes darting to the motion immediately. 

"Ruby?"

"Yeah?" Her breath fanned over Weiss' lips, and she had to contain the noise in the back of her throat at how _close_ she was. It was like their dance earlier- the one Winter interrupted before they could get past this point. Weiss placed a hand on the back of Ruby's neck, and the other on her cheek, and it took every ounce of her willpower not to pull her closer and seal their lips right then and there. She didn't, of course, because she needed to say one last thing.

"I think..." Weiss's voice sounded far away to them, light and floating. "I'd like you to."

She had just barely finished her sentence when Ruby finally pushed forward, pressing their lips together.

They both immediately hummed in pleasure at the feeling of each other's lips. Ruby moved her hands downwards to grip Weiss' hips, the kiss every bit as amazing as she imagined. It was slow, and Ruby was a bit clumsy at first, but she slowly got into the rhythm with Weiss' assistance. It remained gentle and shy, but they could both feel all of their emotions being poured into it. So many years it had been- and it seemed a lifetime ago thinking of where they started, and now they were _here_ , doing _this_.

Weiss' lips were so soft, and Ruby was having a lot of difficulty not passing out. She felt cheated- betrayed by the universe for not being able to experience this lovely feeling earlier in her life. But, as their lips slotted together perfectly, like puzzle pieces, she realised that maybe it was better that it took so long.

She couldn't help the small whimper that sounded from her throat when Weiss' teeth sank into her bottom lip, providing a gentle pressure as she pulled away, lightly dragging Ruby's lip along for a second. They breathed heavily, eyes opening and locking onto each other. Ruby stared at her in awe, in complete and utter disbelief that that just happened, but she felt a million flutters in her heart when Weiss's eyes sparkled back at her with happiness.

"Whoa." Ruby breathed out, dopey smile taking over her features.

"Eloquent as always." Weiss replied, allowing a small smile to slip through, making sure Ruby knew she wasn't complaining at all. Ruby felt so giddy all of a sudden, so happy that she couldn't contain herself. Without warning, she surged forward again, catching Weiss off guard with the intensity. Weiss let out an uncharacterstic squeak as Ruby kissed her again, this time a bit more forceful than the last one, but definitely not unwelcome. Weiss felt her face heat up, but was able to recover and show Ruby just as much intensity as she kissed her back. 

Ruby smiled against her lips, pulling away only for a short time, before she began leaving little, sweet kisses on Weiss' lips over and over again excitedly.

"This."

Peck.

"Is.

Peck.

" _So."_

Peck.

"Awesome!"

She finished off her sentence with one more peck to Weiss' lips, before finally pulling herself away, a cute, giddy look on her face with her smile almost blinding. Weiss was completely dazed, lips tingling and kiss-swollen from all the love Ruby just gave them. She immediately reddened, familiar heat on her cheeks and in her stomach at Ruby's forwardness.

"R-Ruby! Gods, you- you-" Weiss was at a loss, and Ruby's dorky and loving look in her eyes was not helping matters whatsoever. Eventually, still with pink cheeks, she sighed lovingly and rolled her eyes. "... Absolute dolt." It was usually an insult for Weiss, but it was said with so much affection and care that Ruby could care less. Weiss could call her anything she wanted as long as she said it like that.

Ruby giggled, stepping a bit away from her, but maintaining her hold on Weiss' hips. Weiss' hands dropped to her shoulders. Weiss glanced at the door to the room, before clearing her throat and gesturing towards it.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to participate in the remainder of this ball." Weiss said. Ruby perked up and nodded, quickly grabbing Weiss' hand and pulling her towards the door. Ruby closed it behind them, and as they stood in the hallway, Ruby turned to Weiss once more. Weiss raised an eyebrow in response. Ruby suddenly looked apprehensive- scared, even. The nervousness was clear on her face.

"I-I know we probably need to talk about... That." Ruby flushed, and Weiss fought the urge to kiss the cute pout away that was now adorning her lips. "And we will! But, can it be later?" Ruby looked into her eyes, allowing the hope to shine through them. "Let's just enjoy the ball, a-and maybe kiss a little more?" She squeaked. "Whatever you want! But we can definitely talk later I prom-"

"Ruby." Weiss interrupted her ramblings. "Shut up."

Ruby clamped her mouth shut immediately, and Weiss sent her a smile for reassurance that yes, everything was fine and they don't need to talk now. They would do it when they were both ready.

Ruby nodded once and then grinned, a mischievous look in her eye. Weiss narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Whatever you're thinking, I highly recommend you reconsider or else I'll-"

"Too late!" Ruby cheered, and Weiss' cry of 'Ruby!' was ignored as Ruby activated her semblance, fusing them together and swirling them into beautiful colours of red and white.

As they returned to the ballroom to finish off the night, they were both content in waiting until later to talk. They had time, they had each other- they would never be alone again.

That's all that matters.


End file.
